Collapsible container



NOV. 15, 1966 W J, GAHM COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed May 22, 1964 R O T m VM WH A G J. W

FIG. 5

FIG.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,285,459 CGLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Wilbert J. Gahm, Newark, NJ., assignor to Plura Plastics, Inc., Maplewood, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 22, 1964, Ser. No. 369,415 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-8) This invention relates to a collapsible container formed of two partsa base member having a collapsible cupmember extensible therefrom for holding a material, such as a liquid, and a cover member proportioned to be telescopica-lly superposed onto the base member on collapsing the collapsible cup member, to close the container. The cover member is provided with a holder for material such as tablets or the like complementary to the material in the cup member extending from the base. Complementary means are provideda ring in the cover member and on a cap member closing thereover, for indicating times for removing the cover member material.

This device is adapted to be collapsed into compact, fool proof form, such that it may be readily carried on the person or in clothing, the cover member being adapted to be readily separated from the base member for use of the container.

The time indicating means provided in accordance with this invention provides a simple means for indicating, to the user, times for taking medicaments, for example; the parts are so designed (as below set forth) as to facilitate effective use of the device.

The drawings, illustrating procedures and devices useful in carrying out the invention, and the description below, are exemplary only of the invention, which shall be deemed to cover all other devices and procedures coming within the scope and purview of the appended claim.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cap member for closing the container portion of the cover member, showing time indicating means thereon.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cover member, showing complementary time indicating means thereon,

FIG. 3 is ya perspective view of the cover member with the Icap member -assembled on the container ring and the time indicating means in registration, indicating a given time,

FIG. 4'is a perspective view of the base member with the collapsible cup member shown extended therefrom,

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a medial exploded vertical sectional view of the collapsible container parts embodying the invention, and

FIG. 7 is a similar view showing the container closed.

As shown in the drawings, a collapsible container embodying this invention comprises a base member 10 having an extensible cup member 11 positioned thereon and defined by a ring 12 medially secured to the base member (FIG. 6) and a plurality of rings 13 of progressively larger diameter, preferably complementarily tapered so as to be telescopically extensible outwardly of the cup memlber (FIG. 5) and collapsible (FIG. 6) intermediate the ring and base member. Cover member 15 is proportioned on closure of the device (FIG. 7).

3,285,459 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 ice to telescopically and frictionally engage the base member Cover member 15 is provided (FIG. 3) with a ring 16 extending medially therefrom Iand having a time mark 17 thereon and deining, with cover member 15, a container for holding medicaments, such as pills. A cap member 18 is provided (FIG. 1) to telescopically close the ring 16 and provided with complementary time markings 19 thereon such that, on assembly of the cap member on ring 16 (FIG. 3) the time registration would be immediately visible to indicate, for example, the next time for taking pills or other medicaments. When the cup member 11 as shown in FIG. 4, extends outwardly, it is adapted to receive a complementary medicament to that contained in the ring 16 of the cover member-for example, water or other liquid; it may be collapsed into the base member as shown in FIG. 6. On closure of the container as in FIG. 7, the base member ring 12 telescopes over the ring 16 of the cover member and the cap 1S thereof, the parts closing to compact convenient to carry. The closure member 18 for the cover container (FIG. 1) includes an upwardly directed s ide wall portion adapted to frictionally embrace the second wall 16 (FIG. 2) of the cover container, said closure member having (FIG. 7) a diameter greater than the inner diameter of said second cup-shaped portion 12 in the base 10 at the point of interconnection of the said second wall and said base, but lesser than the inner diameter of the second cup-shaped portion 12 at its upper extremity, whereby said closure member 18 will be retained in position on said wall 12 of said cover container by said wall of said second cup-shaped portion in said base when said cover and said base are interconnected.

The cover and base members may be provided with complementary means such as (FIG. 2) friction bead 20 on the cover member to engage the outer wall of base member 10 and frictionally hold the parts in closed relation (FIG. 7).

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a collapsible multicompartment container, the combination comprising: a base member, a vertically oriented circumferential wall extending upwardly from said base at right angles thereto to define a cup-shaped portion, a second wall attached to said base within said circumerential wall and coaxial therewith, said second wall extending angularly upwardly and outwardly from said base and defining a second cup-shaped portion, a plurality of rings of progressively larger diameter than said second wall at its point of interconnection with said base which may be elevated progressively to engage each other and said secondwall to define a receptacle of increasing diameter, a complementary cover for said container including a top portion and downwardly extending side wall portions, frictionally cooperable with said circumferential wall on said base to dene a container therewith, said cover portion further including a second wall extending vertically downwardly from said top in parallel relation to said side wall portions to define an inverted container within said cover, a closure member for said cover container including an upwardly directed side wall portion adapted to frictionally embrace said second wall of said cover container, said closure member having a diameter greater than the inner diameter of said second cup-shaped portion in said base at the point of interconnection of said second wall and said base but lesser than the inner diameter of said second cup-shaped portion at its uppermost extremity, whereby said closure 4member will be retained in position on said Wall of said cover container by said Wall of said second cup-shaped portion in said base when said cover and said base are interconnected, and indicating indicia on said closure member and said wall of said cover container to indicate times for use of materials contained within said cover container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1901 Burton 116-121 7/ 1955 Silverman.

10 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, LOUIS G. MANCENE Examiners. 

